1.

Minefield

Have group discuss things that are detrimental to functioning as

a group. For each characteristic/action, throw an object into the
playing space, the "minefield." Have group choose partners. One
partner is blindfolded at one end of field. The non-blindfolded
partners stand at the opposite end of the field and try to talk
their partners through the minefield without running into any
of the obstacles.

2. Stick

Everyone in group touches stick at same time. Break stick in

half and repeat. Continue until stick is very small. (it's easier to
start with a simple goal and work up to a harder one...)

3. Group Juggle

Establish pattern of tosses including everyone in a circle. Add

additional objects periodically.

(A variation contributed by: Nancy J Rimassa) This is a good

way to help a group of strangers remember at least one person's
name forever.

1. Have the group stand in a circle, fairly close together.

2. Toss a ball across the circle, calling out the player's name to
whom you toss it to. That player tosses to a different player and
so on until everyone has caught the ball and thrown it on once.
It should be back in your hands at this point.
3. Repeat the sequence a couple of times. Add a second bell and
then a third. Add as many balls as you want.

Variations? Make a wide circle out of doors.

Use toilet paper instead of balls.
Use various size balls.
The game ends when no one will play anymore.

4. Wind in the Willows (NP)

A variation on trust falls involving the entire group. Group

stands in a circle with one person in the middle. Person in
middle falls in any direction, trusting spotters to catch him/her
and stand him/her back up.

5. Blind Walk

Divide group into pairs with one member of each pair

blindfolded. Seeing partner leads blind partner on a walk. The
walk should be challenging, including such obstacles as climbing
over tables, crawling under chairs, walking up or down stairs,
climbing over railings, etc

6. Similarity Charades

Divide into smaller groups. Each group discusses their

similarities and acts out for other group to guess.

7. Group Jump-Rope (NP)

Given long piece of rope, group tries to jump rope
simultaneously (again, easier to start with simple task - one or
two people - and work up to larger goal gradually)

8. Blind Shapes

Group is blindfolded or with eyes closed. Have group form

themselves into a square or a triangle, etc. Can use a rope with
everyone holding on. (communication, leadership)

9. Survival Scenario Exercise

Wilderdom
Store
Description of a Group Dynamics Team gear, books,
Building Exercise kits

Overview - Group Survival Equipment

Scenario Exercise
• Scenario
• A classic group briefing (1 per
communication and group)
decision making exercise, • List of
with many variations. items/people (1
• Works for a wide variety of per person)
ages and purposes, indoors • Expert list
or outdoors. (number
• There are two classic types optional)
of "paper & pencil" group • Free downloads
survival scenarios listed below
(selecting equipment and
selecting people). In each Summary
case:
o Provide instructions • A classic group
& hand out materials communication
o Set a time limit (~15- & decision
 30 minutes) making
o Let the group exercise.
go - answer People get
questions, intensely
watch, & engaged
observe! because the
o Debrief "survival
stakes" are high
Scenario Type 1: Choose and none of the
Survival Equipment decisions are
easy. Works for
Your plane crashed...your group a wide variety
needs to choose the 12 most of ages and
useful items to survive... purposes,
indoors or
Choose / rank equipment items outdoors.
in terms of their relative
survival value: Group Size

• Participants choose/rank • 5-10

the items individually
• Discuss choices/rankings Time
in small group and come to
a group consensus • Total ~45-100
• Score answers against mins
"expert" opinion • 5-10 minutes
• Possible scenarios: briefing
o Lost at sea or island • 15-30 minutes
survival (shipwreck) exercise time
o Desert (plane crash) • 5-10 minutes
o Space or Moon scoring (for
select
10. Scenario Type 2: People equipment
Survival Scenario (Who will be scenarios)
saved?) • 20-30 minutes
debrief &
A nuclear bomb has been discussion
dropped...a radiation-free shelter
is available, but can only take 6
people; choose who will survive...

Choose / rank people in terms of

who will get to live or die in
situations with limited survival
resources: Survival Scenarios
(free)
• Participants
role play Choose Equipment
characters (a Scenarios
bit like a • Plane Crash &
Murder Winter Survival
Mystery) Simulation
• Can lead to high emotions; Game
people get intensely (classic rank 15
engaged, particularly when survival items
choosing who will survive, exercise)
and none of the decisions • Lost at Sea
are easy. [.pdf]
• No right answers - any so- (classic 2 page
called "correct" answers are summary guide
based on debatable values - p.1 is the
(e.g., ageism, sexism, activity list of
racism) items; p.2 has
• Highlights individual's the answers)
dispositions, group • Lost at Sea
processes and decision [.pdf]
making (more detailed
• Possible scenarios: Lost at Sea
o Nuclear war shelter description plus
o Oxygen dwindling with generic
(space, moon, mars) theory and
o Lifeboat / Sinking debriefing
ship (sea) material)
• Lost at Sea
Variations [.pdf]
(a third version,
• Appoint a time keeper in with medium-
each group and encourage level detail)
 them to be the person who • Survival on the
monitors the progress of Moon
the group towards (classic survival
achieving consensus within in space
the time frame. exercise)
• To emphasise individual o Survival
versus group decision on the
making, split the session Moon
into three parts: o Space
o Individuals make Survival
their own selections Challenge
first, on paper (5-10
minutes) Choose People
o Groups (or sub- Scenarios
groups) then discuss • Plane Crash
and create a group Survival
decision Scenario
o Compare individual • Nuclear
and group Holocaust: Who
performances, e.g.,: Should
! For equipment Survive?
scenarios, group
decisions are Complex Scenarios
usually more • Wilderness
accurate than Survival
individual (involves 12
answers, helping multiple choice
to illustrate the questions about
importance of what to do in
collaborative survival
group decision- situations; work
making. individually and
! For people then in groups,
scenarios, score receiving points
individuals for good
according to how decisions)
close the group's • Island Survival
decision was to (indepth,
their own elaborate
 selections of who scenario and
is to live and die scoring for
(an indicator of longer scenario
each person's exercise; well
influence over explained for
the group). school settings)
• Westward Ho!
Possible Debrief Questions o Westward
Ho!
• How were decisions made? (classic
• Who influenced the descriptio
decisions and how? n with
• How could better decisions scoring
have been made? rubric)
• How was conflict managed? o Westward
• How did people feel about Ho!
the decisions? (classroom
• How satisfied was each exercise)
person with the decision o Westward
(ask each participant to Ho!
rate his / her satisfaction (basic
out of 10, then obtain a computer
group average and adventure
compare / discuss with )
other groups' satisfaction o Westward
levels) Ho!
• What have you learnt about (lesson
the functioning of this plan)
group? o Oregon
• How would you do the Trail
activity differently if you (computer
were asked to do it again? software
• What situations at download
work/home/school do you
think are like this
exercise?
 Caveman meets Modern Camper
by Frik, 2003

11. Zoom & Re-Zoom

Zoom & Re-Zoom Equipment

• This engaging group activity helps • Zoom Kit and/or

develop communication skills, Re-Zoom Kit,
perspective taking, and problem (laminated pages
solving skills. from the picture
• Based on the intriguing, wordless, books, with activity
picture books "Zoom" and "Re-Zoom" guide + facilitation
by Istvan Banyai which consist of notes).
33 and 24 sequential "pictures
within pictures". The Zoom
narrative moves from outer space to a farm to a ship to Summary
a city street to a desert island. Zoom has been
published in 18 countries. • A group tries to
 • Hand out one picture per person (make sure a create a unified
continuous sequence is used). story from a set of
• Explain that participants may only look at their sequential
own pictures and must keep their pictures pictures. The
hidden from others. pictures are
• Encourage participants to study their picture, since it randomly ordered
contains important information to help solve a and handed out.
problem. Each person has a
• The challenge is for the group to sequence the pictures picture but cannot
in the correct order without looking at one another's show it to others.
pictures. Requires patience,
• Participants will generally mill around talking to communication,
others to see whether their pictures have anything in and perspective
common. Sometimes leadership efforts will emerge to taking in order to
try to understand the overall story. recreate the story's
• When the group believes they have all the pictures in sequence.
order (usually after ~15 minutes), the pictures can be
turned over for everyone to see. Group Size

Facilitator's Notes • 20 to 30 ideal, but

can be done with
• Works with any age group, including corporate groups. fewer (see
• Can be done indoors or outdoors. variations)
• Once the challenge is finished, allow everyone to see
the pictures and encourage participants to sort out Time
any mistakes in the order (can be done on a table or
the floor), then let everyone walk around view the Total time~20-30
pictures in sequence so they understand the full story. minutes
• ~5 mins set up and
Variations brief the group
• ~15 mins active
• Use as a novel icebreaker by handing each participant problem solving
a picture on arrival. When everyone has arrived, • ~5-10 minutes
explain that each person is holding part of a story and debrief
that the group task is to find out what the story is by
putting their pictures in sequence.
• Use a time limit to increase difficulty and enhance
focus on teamwork.
• Team performance can be measured (e.g., for a
Acknowledgements
 competition) by counting how many pictures are out of • Thanks to PJ
sequence. Giampietro,
• For smaller groups, try disallowing talking. This Michelle
increases the difficulty and creates the need for Cummings, Dev
expressive sign language. In general, allow large Pathik, Andy
groups to talk because there is enough complexity Martinson, Eric Nei
sorting out all the pictures. and Christie
• Another way to increase complexity with small groups Peterson for their
is to give each person more than one picture. descriptions and
• To reduce complexity for young groups (e.g., pre- information about
school), allow a small group to look through all this activity on the
pictures and organize the story from beginning to end. AEE and ROPES
discussion lists.

Related Link

• Optical Illusions

Processing Ideas

• There is usually much potential for debriefing and

discussion.
• Why was it hard to get the story together?
(everyone had a piece, but no-one had the big picture)
• What type of communication was used in attempting to
solve the problem?
• What communication methods might have worked
better? e.g., Iimagine if, at the outset, the group had
taken the time to let each person describe his/her
picture to the rest of the group. What would have
happened then? Would the solution have been found
faster? What prevented such strategies from being
considered?
• Did you try to "second position" (i.e., see one's
communications from the perspective of others)?
• What kind of leadership was used to tackle the
problem?
 • Who were the leaders? Why?
• What style of leadership might have worked best?
• If you were to tackle a similar activity again, what do
you think this group should do differently?
• What real life activities are similar to this activity?

References

• Banyai, I. (1995). Zoom. New York: Viking / Penguin.

• Banyai, I. (1998). Re-Zoom. New York: Viking /
Penguin.

12. Truths & a Lie

2 Truths & a Lie

James Neill
Description of a Name Game, Icebreaker and Last updated:
Get to Know You Activity

2 Truths & a Lie Equipment

• A different kind of get-to-know- None.

you activity which is engages
and challenges each group Time
member in a fun way
• Particularly useful as an ~15-20 minutes
icebreaker, e.g. can be used as a
opener for a Brief
workshop/conference. Description
• For large groups (e.g., 30+), it is
best to split into smaller group People write
 sizes. down two truths
• Hand out cards or paper and about
pens (or if participants bring themselves and a
their own, that's fine) lie. Then
• Explain that in this activity introduce the
each person write two truths three "facts" to
and a lie about themself and the rest of the
then we will try to guess each group who tries
other's lie. The goal is to: a) to guess which
convince others that your lie is one is a lie.
truth (and that one of your
truths is the lie) and b) to
correctly guess other people's
lies.
• Allow approx. ~5+ minutes for
writing 2 truths & a lie - this
isn't easy for a lot of people -
there will some scribbling out,
etc. The slower people will
probably need to be urged along
to "put anything you can think
of" down. Allocate 5-8 minutes,
but you will probably need to
urge people along.
• Announce that we will now walk
around and chat to one another,
like a cocktail party, and ask
about each other's truths and
lies. The goal is to quiz each
about each statement to help
determine which are the truth
and which is the lie, whilst
seducing other people into
thinking that your own lie is a
truth. At the end we will caste
our votes and find out the truth.
• Emphasize that people should
not reveal their lie, even if it
seems others might have
 guessed.
• Allow min. 10-15 minutes of
conversation time.
• Gather together in a circle.
Start with one person who reads
their three statements aloud (to
remind everyone). Then read
the statements again, stopping
to allow a vote for each one. e.g.,
"I am Turkish. Who thinks that
is a lie? [Vote] I am
vegetarian. Who thinks that is a
lie? [Vote] I have a metal pin in
my right leg. Who thinks that is
a lie? [Vote]. OK, my lie was "I
am vegetarian."" The facilitator
will need to help each person
out, especially intially until the
basic format is understood. The
facilitator may add drama and
reinforcement, etc. for correct
guesses, tricky statements, etc.
• The exercise can be run
competitively, e.g., count up
how many correct guesses of
other people's lies and take
away the number of people who
correctly guesses your own lie.
Highest score wins (honesty
counts!).

Links to other descriptions

• Two Truths & a Lie

• Life Facts
13. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about One Another

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about

One Another James Neill
Description of a get-to-know-you activity Last updated:

Everything You Ever Wanted Equipment: Copies of the

to Know About One Another 10 get-to-know questions
Time: ~30-60 minutes
• A somewhat challenging
and intimate get-to-know- Brief Description: This
you activity activity involves small
• Best for small groups e.g., groups sharing answers to
3 to 6 10 somewhat challenging
• Involves fun, interesting, and intimate questions,
self-disclosure by sharing including responses to
answers to some honest, "hypothetical situations"
quirky questions e.g., what would you do if
you had $1 million to
• Establish initial trust
spend in 24 hours.
amongst group members
before using this activity; Variations: A quicker, less
could be incorporated intrusive version of this
with trust building activity is People Bingo or
activities the Signature Game.
• Allow plenty of time People Bingo can be used
earlier on in a program as
• Consider making the an icebreaker.
activity optional and/or
allowing small groups to
do the activity when and
where they feel like it;
this increases the sense
of owning the experience
and takes seriously the
 level of honesty and
potential intimacy the
activity can generate
• Adapt and edit the
questions to suit your
particular group
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
about One Another

1. If you were to choose a new name

for yourself, what would it be?

2. If you were given an extra $10 in

change at Walmart, what would you do
with it and why?

3. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve

learnt from your past relationships?

4. What’s one of your worst habits?

5. What was the best day of the past

week for you - why?

6. What are you wearing today which is

most reflective of who you are?

7. Choose a unique item from your

wallet and explain why you carry it
around.

8. If you could change one thing about

your physical appearance what would
it be and why?

9. Share one of your most

embarrassing moments.

10. If you were given a million dollars

and 24 hours to spend it in, (no depositing
 it in the bank or investing it) what would
you buy?

14. Fear in a Hat

Psychological Exercises:

Fear in a Hat
Description of a Group Interpersonal James Neill
Understanding Exercise Last updated:

Fear in a Hat
• Set an appropriate tone, e.g.,
settled, attentive, caring and
serious.
• The tone could be set by
introducing the topic of fear and
explaining how it is normal and
natural at this stage of program that people are
experiencing all sorts of anxieties, worries and fears
about what might happen. A good way of starting to
deal with these fears is have them openly
acnkowledged - lay them on the table, without being
subject to ridicule. Having one's fears expressed
and heard almost immediately cuts them in half.
• Can be done as the first activity in a program,
during the initial stages or well into the program.
When used early on in particular, it can help to
foster group support and be helpful for alerting the
group to issues they may want to respect in a Full
Value Contract.
 • Ask everyone, including the group leaders, to
complete this sentence on a piece of paper
(anonymously):
"In this trip/group/program, I am [most] afraid
that..." or "In this trip/group/program, the worst
thing that could happen to me would be..."
• Collect the pieces of paper, mix them around, then
invite each person to a piece of paper and read about
someone's fear.
• One by one, each group member reads out the fear of
another group member and elaborates and what
he/she feels that person is most afraid of in this
group/situation. No one is to comment on what the
person says, just listen and move on to the next
person.
• If the reader doesn't elaborate much on the fear,
then ask them one or two questions. Avoid implying
or showing your opinion as to the fear being
expressed, unless the person is disrepecting or
completely misunderstanding someone's fear. If the
person doesn't elaborate after one or two questions,
leave it and move on.
• When all the fears have been read out and
elaborated on, then discuss what people felt and
noticed.
• Can lead into other activities, such as developing a
Full Group Contract, personal or team goal settings,
course briefings which specifically tackle some of
the issues raised, or into other activities in which
participants explore their feelings and fears (e.g.,
see the Fear in a Hat description at
www.nurturingpotential.net)
Variations
• Likes and dislikes - in two separate hats

• Worries

• Complaints/gripes

• Wishes
 • Favorite moments

15. Mirror Image

Mirror Image
description of a Physical Warm-Up James Neill
& Get-to-know-you Body Movement Last updated:
Activity
Mirror Image

• This activity involves people in pairs, with one

person mirroring the actions and movements of the
other person.
• Body movement exercises can be
most revealing, confronting and
rewarding. "Human sculpting via
mirroring" brings body movement
exploration into the dyad. By
reflecting body movements of
another, several subtle but complex
processes are activated, heightening
self- and other-awareness. Immediate non-verbal
feedback exercises in the right time and place have
the potential to be transformational. Other times
this can simply be a fun loosen-upperer.
• Works with any size group; split into pairs/couples.
• Although it is simple, the activity can be
confronting, and requires mature leadership and a
well chosen moment/sequence/program.
• Usually make sure the social ice is well and truly
 broken, and that there have been other body
movement and physical warmup/stretching
exercises, with some laughter and some
seriousness.
• Offer a demonstration. Invite a volunteer to stand
facing you about half a metre apart. The instructor
initiates action, with the other person following in
"mirror image".
• Make your movements interesting and slow enough
for the other person to mime as if they were a full
length mirror.
• Also include zany stretches/contortions to get a few
laughs, especially facial gymnastics. Include action
sequences for tasks like brushing your teeth. The
demonstration helps to loosen up conceptions and
inhibitions.
• In pairs, one person stretches, the other follows.
Then swap after some time.
• Debrief as you see fit.

Notes

• Variation: Reverse-mirror image. Try following

partner's movements in reverse-mirror image (i.e.,
swap left <-> right)
• The exercise can be done in different ways to
emphasize difference aspects, e.g., for trust-
building, drama warmup, ice breaker, etc

16. Gotchya! (Grab the Finger)

 Gotchya! (Grab the Finger)
James Neill
Description of Icebreaker Activity Last updated:

Gotchya! (Grab the Finger or Equipment: None.

Cheese)
Time: ~5-10
• Handy icebreaker and attention- minutes
grabber for kids thru corporate
Brief Description:
group programs.
Fast-moving 5
• Stimulating group activity to get min. group
people together, focused, activity to get
challenged, having fun and ready people together
for action. Useful to get focused and focused. In a
attention when people arrive, get circle, right finger
off the bus, or to fill 5-10 on next person's
minutes. left palm. Try to
• Works with any size groups, grab a finger
indoor and outdoor. before yours gets
grabbed.
• Participants stand
in a circle, arms
out to the side.
Left hand palm
up, right index
finger pointing
down and touching on neighbor's
outstretched palm.
• "When I say the word go, do two
things.... grab the finger in your
left hand, and prevent your right
finger from being grabbed... 1 ...
2 ... 3 ... [add suspense] ... Go!".
• Repeat several times.
• Tom Leahy advises "put big
 energy, and your own style to
it...it never fails to grab
everyone's attention, bringing
them immediately to the
present...Provides perfect off the
bus spark for the day....Good for
10 minutes".
• The trick is
dramatizing the
"Go!", the build up
of suspense, and
most will jump the
gun, adding to the
fun.
• Try a different trigger word, e.g.,
"Cheese", and mention lots of
other "eeze" words for humor -
peas, sneeze, wheeze, please and
freeze.
• Or use the word/theme of the day
e.g., "outdoor" to help get people
listening to every word.
• Can transition to talking about
"assumptions" and "temptation",
etc.
• Acknowledgement: This game
was discussed by Tom Leahy,
Mike Anderson and others on the
ROPES discussion list, February,
2004.